Pipes and Pints

Pipes and Pints

Pipes and Pints are a punk rock group from Praha, Czechia, active since 2006. Their sound combines punk rock with Highland bagpipes and dirty folk influences, with country and rock and roll also part of the style described by the band’s founders. The group is associated with celtic punk and folk punk as well as punk and punk rock.

Formation and line-up

The band is formed in 2006 by Vojta Kalina, who plays Highland bagpipes and sings, and Tomáš Novotný, who plays guitar and sings and was previously in Who Ate My Skate. The later line-up includes Lukáš Vincour on drums and vocals, Syco Mike on lead vocals, and Ondřej Balvín on bass and vocals. Vincour moves from Moravia to Praha to join the group, Mike relocates to Praha from California via Austria, and Balvín joins from the Prague street, squat and club scene. The group’s members also appear with a range of former projects, including Punkhart, Thalidomide, R.A.F., Mugshot76, Super Pilot and El Paso.

Early releases and touring

The first recorded release is a demo CD in 2007, followed by extensive touring across Central Europe, including Germany, Austria, Czech Republic and Slovakia. Those early shows include both headline dates and support slots with acts such as The Porters and Society Parasites. In December 2008, after around a month of rehearsals, the then-new line-up records a five-track EP, even before Balvín joins on bass. The EP is well received and the band continues touring widely through European clubs and festivals.

Albums and recording

Pipes and Pints release their debut full-length album, Until We Die, in November 2009. It is issued with Wolverine Records for Europe and Unrepentant Records for North and South America. The record attracts strong press and radio attention, with singles played internationally and chart placements noted with Shite ’n’ Onions and Celtic-Rock.de. In Czechia, TV Očko nominates the band as Best New Artist of the Year, and RockZone FM gives the group a long run at number one.

The second full-length album, Found and Lost, follows in November 2012. The band records it with producer Darian Rundall, whose credits include Pennywise, US Bombs, Suicidal Tendencies and Yellowcard. Recording takes place at Sun Studios in Praha, with final mix and mastering completed in California. The album is released worldwide by People Like You, except in Czechia, where Supraphon handles release and distribution.

Live work and recognition

The group tours heavily through the early 2010s, playing clubs, arenas and festivals across Europe. Dates mentioned include Rebellion in the UK, Force Attack in Germany, Mighty Sounds in Czechia, Resist to Exist in Germany, Punk Rock Holidays in Slovenia, Open’er in Poland, Keltská Noc, Les Feux de Lete and Rock’n’stock in France, and Eier mit Speck in Germany. They also play in Russia and England, tour with Born to Lose, and perform a Rock For People-branded arena run with The Locos, a project involving members of Ska-P.

Found and Lost gains strong fan and critical response. It is voted best album in end-of-year polls, including by Kids & Heroes, and the Czech Academy of Popular Music awards it Album of the Year in the Punk & Hardcore category. The band also plays at the CEETEP music fair in the Netherlands, which presents a cross-genre selection of European acts.

Scene connections

Throughout its career, Pipes and Pints support a DIY scene focus and are linked with the GNWP campaign and other benefit or community-minded activities. Their early and later tours place them alongside groups such as Church of Confidence, Born to Lose, Deadline, Hudson Falcons and Al & The Black Cats, underlining their strong position in the European punk circuit.